BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3787

By: Perry

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) currently uses information on a driver's license to corroborate and verify information submitted by applicants for certain health and human services programs administered by HHSC, such as Medicaid. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) supplies HHSC with driver's license information in an effort to prevent ineligible applicants from receiving benefits under these programs. Interested parties assert that, because of the prevalence of fraud among the programs administered by HHSC, information regarding a person's social security number is needed to verify the contents of these applications. H.B. 3787 seeks to prevent fraud and increase the efficiency of certain programs by allowing HHSC to obtain additional information provided on a driver's license application from DPS.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3787 amends the Transportation Code to include the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) among the entities to whom information provided on a driver's license application that relates to the applicant's social security number is authorized to be disclosed and requires the Department of Public Safety to disclose such information on the request of HHSC and for the purpose of assisting HHSC in determining an applicant's eligibility for any program administered by HHSC.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.